EEEKKKK BATS in the Belfry

We live in an older two story home on a fairly dark street in town. Bats seem to love our home ! For there have been several bat "visits" in the years we have lived here.

I know they're more frightened of us than we are of them, but EEEEEKKKKKKKKK they REALLY FREAK me out !! That wing span they have seems gigantic. In my head I always hear, " I Vant to Suck Your Blooood",( My imitation of a Transylvanian Vampire.)

I always scream and my fiance comes to my rescue with a badminton racket. He opens the door and swishes the racket at them, until they find their way out. Hopefully, they find another resting place and don't just reenter our home.

Bats are actually very beneficial, every day they eat their body weight in insects. They are mammals. Out of 1,000 known species, less than 10 feed on the blood of other mammals. Sorry, I'm still hearing my Vampire imitation in my head. Supposedly, they hibernate in the cold months, but we have had several visits in the Winter, but more frequent in the Summer.

Less than 1/2 of a percent carry rabies. Bats are timid creatures and like us humans about as much as we like them. ( sorry, if you are a bat lover, I speak for myself). This concerns me, for I read that they avoid humans as much as possible, unless they are disoriented or sick. I'm hoping our nightly bat visits are just bats trying to find their way out...lost. Rabies is rare, but bat bites are usually not very painful ( so....again, I must say, eeeekkk ), and are not always noticeable. So you could be bitten while sleeping and not know it! Ugh ! If there is ever a question whether you were bitten or not, the bat should be captured and tested. ( Not easy capturing a bat ). You would have to find it hanging ( resting) and quickly put it in a coffee can or something ! Eeww !

There are ultrasonic sound devices on the market now, that are supposed to rid a place of bats, but I hear they don't work. We have never tried them. How about mothballs, noise, light, or garlic? That's a no, another no, no, and uh..... no. How about a cross? (heehee, a little more of my vampire humor ). No.

To rid your home of bats, you must have your home thoroughly inspected. A bat can squeeze through an opening 1/2 ". It's not an easy task finding any and every small opening that would allow bat entry. Once the entry points are discovered, they must be sealed. Many times, where the sides of the house and the chimney or roof meet are the entry positions.

Now with all this info on bats, do you think I'm gonna crawl into bed with a crucifix and garlic strung around my neck? Heehee, think again. Hahahaha ! EEEEEKKKKK ! ! ! !